Christchurch power pricing

Here we go, get the calculator

Grab a recent bill from your current retailer to compare our pricing. On your bill you should be able to see if you are a Low User or a Standard User, and what metering set-up you have (Controlled, Uncontrolled, Night etc).

Freestyle

Flicksters on Freestyle in Christchurch pay all their network costs at wholesale, plus the wholesale (spot) price of generation direct from the market, which changes every 30 minutes. Over the past ten years, the average spot price in Christchurch was 7.298 cents.

FIXIE

FIXIE customers pay all their network costs at wholesale, and a fixed generation price for the upcoming six month period from the date they sign up.

To see what you can expect to pay with Flick on Freestyle or FIXIE, find your details in a recent power bill and check out the pricing schedule below. Prices are exclusive of GST.

Freestyle

FIXIE

LOW USER

Per day +

Per kWh* or

Per kWh

Summer (1 September to 30 April)

30 cents

24.067 cents

24.719 cents

Off Peak: 9pm-7am weekdays and all weekend

15.944 cents

16.593 cents

Winter (1 May to 31 August)

30 cents

24.067 cents

24.719 cents

Off Peak: 9pm-7am weekdays and all weekend

15.944 cents

16.593 cents

Peak: 7-10am and 5pm-7pm weekdays

33.147 cents

33.799 cents

STANDARD USER

Per day +

Per kWh* or

Per kWh

Summer (1 September to 30 April)

97.50 cents

21.307 cents

21.959 cents

Off Peak: 9pm-7am weekdays and all weekend

13.184 cents

13.836 cents

Winter (1 May to 31 August)

97.50 cents

21.307 cents

21.959 cents

Off Peak: 9pm-7am weekdays and all weekend

13.184 cents

13.836 cents

Peak: 7-10am and 5pm-7pm weekdays

30.387 cents

31.039 cents

*Freestyle per kWh prices include the spot price at 7.298 cents - this was the average spot price in Christchurch over the past ten years (Jan 2008 - Sept 2018).

The Orion Network’s Peak charge

The Orion Network, your lines company, charges a peak demand charge that is based on usage from 1 May to 31 August. What’s a ‘peak demand charge’? It’s a charge that’s determined by the peak usage of customers during what are called ‘peak signal periods’in the industry. They do this to encourage households to change the times they use electricity, and subsequently reduce peak demand on local lines during the cold winter months (and reduce the chance of overloading your infrastructure). If you notice an increase in your weekly bills, this is likely a contributing factor.

Although there is a peak charge that applies to us year-round, the winter peak charge that we pass on to you as an Orion customer is the most transparent and straightforward way that we can convert this peak demand charge to the time of year (1 May – 31 August) and to the periods of the day (7am - 10am and 5pm - 7pm) that are most reflective of the signal periods that Orion uses to calculate the charge at their end (off-peak times still run from 9pm through til 7am, and outside of the Winter Pricing times and off-peak times, standard variable charges apply).

So, how can you keep your bills low? Keep an eye on your clock! Make sure you’re using things like your washing machine, dryer and dishwasher during off-peak hours when prices are much lower (and if you’re not home during those times, invest in a timer - it’s worth it!). As an added bonus for those on our Freestyle (spot price) plan, winter power prices tend to be lower than they are during the warmer months, which means using electricity in off-peak times can really pay off in winter. Load-shifting your electricity usage is not only kinder on your wallet, it’s also kinder on our infrastructure (and the natural environment) too. Win-win!

There's no such thing as a silly question

Questions? We've got answers

We made the call not to include GST when we started out because most other power retailers don't include GST in their pricing, and we wanted to make our pricing easy to compare with theirs. We reckon this will help you make the best decision for you.

To calculate the price including GST, simply add 15% to the price we provide.

What does 'Uncontrolled', 'Controlled', 'Inclusive' etc mean?

Different households within the same network region will have different meter types and set-ups, which may have different pricing structures. You may have more than one meter in your home, and not all meter types listed will apply to your network region.

An Uncontrolled meter is one that is not controlled in any way by your network company.

A Controlled or Controlled Load meter is one that can be remotely controlled (switched on and off) by your network company, usually for hot water or underfloor heating. Controlled meters tend to be secondary meters - you're unlikely to have ONLY a Controlled meter in your home. Your metering company may charge different rates depending on how long you have access to your Controlled meter.

An Inclusive or Residential All Inclusive meter is a single meter that can be partially controlled, usually for hot water or underfloor heating - think of it as both an Uncontrolled and Controlled meter rolled into one, but through a single meter rather than two.

A Night meter is a Controlled meter for hot water or underfloor heating that can only be used overnight and possibly during 'boost' hours (specified off-peak hours). Your metering company may charge different rates depending on whether you have boost hours available to you, and for how long.

A Day / Night meter is a single uncontrolled meter that records usage information by day and night, so your network company may charge different rates for electricity used during the day versus during the night.

An Inclusive Day / Night setup means you have two meters: an Uncontrolled meter for the house, and a Controlled meter for hot water or underfloor heating. Both record usage information by day and night.

An Uncontrolled meter with Separate Control or Uncontrolled & Controlled setup means you have two meters: an Uncontrolled meter for the house, and a Controlled meter for hot water or underfloor heating. Your metering company may charge different rates depending on how long you have access to your Controlled meter - for example 16 or 20 hours a day.

An Uncontrolled meter with Separate Night or Uncontrolled & Night setup means you have two meters: an Uncontrolled meter for the house, and a Controlled meter for hot water or underfloor heating that can only be used overnight and possibly during 'boost' hours (specified off-peak hours). Your metering company may charge different rates depending on whether you have boost hours available to you, and for how long.

A Smart Plan or Time Of Use meter is a single uncontrolled meter with variable network rates that change depending on the time of day, for example during peak or off-peak hours.

A Smart Plan & Controlled or Time Of Use & Controlled meter is a single meter that can be partially controlled, and has variable network rates that change depending on the time of day.

How do I know what type of meter I have?

The easiest way to know which meter type or set-up applies to you is by taking a look at recent power bill for your property - you should be able to see the meter type you have been charged for.

If you're moving into a new place or you don't have a power bill handy, you can give us a call on 0800 435 425 and we'll let you know.

Why are some meter types charged a fixed daily fee, but others aren't?

Generally, the primary meter in your household will be charged a daily fixed fee, but you won't be charged an additional fee for any secondary, controlled meters you might have.

How do I know if I'm a Standard or Low user?

The Standard User plan:

Has a higher daily charge, but a lower charge per kWh used, so if you’re using lots of electricity, the lower unit charge balances things out. If you’re living North of Christchurch and using more than 8,000 units a year you’re generally better off on a Standard User plan. Further south, the threshold is 9,000 units a year. The sorts of situations we’d expect of Standard Users include households of more than two people who are home a lot and use a lot of electricity for heating and hot water, or large flats. Heating methods more than anything will contribute to higher usage. Heaters used constantly, like panel or oil heaters, underfloor heating, uninsulated hot water cylinders, and heated swimming/spa pools all contribute to higher usage.

The Low User plan:

A Low User plan is generally suited to people using less electricity than average. It’s designed so that the fixed rate is no more than 30 cents a day but the unit rate is higher, which means if you don’t use much electricity you’ll pay less than you would on a Standard User plan. If you’re living North of Christchurch and are using 8,000 units or less a year you’re classed as a low user. Once again, further south and the threshold increases to 9,000 units per year. Low Users tend to be households of one or two people living in well insulated, energy efficient houses and/or homes with gas heating or hot water.

Secondary meters:

You're only eligible to be on a Low User plan for your primary residence. That means holiday homes, secondary properties or second meters (for a shed, gate or pool pump, for example) are always classified as standard user ICPs, even if they only use a small amount of electricity. This is enforced at the network company level and is the same for all power companies.

How do you calculate a Freestyle price, if the spot price changes every 30 minutes?

To calculate an estimated price of what you might expect to pay on Freestyle, we take all of the known costs that make up your bill (excluding GST), then calculate the average spot price for your region over the past ten years to Sept 2018, and add this to the known costs.

Although this gives a good indication of what you can expect to pay on Freestyle long term, short term conditions can cause the spot price to deviate significantly from the long term average.